Hydroplane vessel



March 18, 1930. s. LAKE HYDROPLANE VESSEL Filed Sept. l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet.

INVENTOR.

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March 18, 1930. s. LAKE HYDROPLANE vEssEL Filed Sept. 1, 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wml .N @RN March 18, 1930. s. LAKE HYDROPLANE vEssEL Filed Sept. l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR /mg f1/ Wmssms- Kmjgw (2a/PJM March 18, 1930. s. LAKE 1,750,959

HYDROPLANE VE S S EL Filed Sept. l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fsf ` |l in ig? if N u tie t; Jil Uil c U CL J INVNTOR WJnu-s March 18, 1930. s, LAKE 1,750,959

HYDROPLANE vEssE'L Filed sept. 1, 1927 5 sheets-'shew 5 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 18, v 1930 UNITED STATES SIMON'LAKE, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT HYDROPLANE VESSEL l Application filed September 1, 1927. Serial` No. 216,869.

The object of this invention is to provide a light draft vessel which is capable of high speed and may bel propelled by air-propellers when being navigated in shallow water or over land, and itis an improvement over my Patent No. 978,311 in that itprovides means to navi ate. a vessel at high speed overrough waters y the use of submerged planes which I have found eective in-submar1ne vessels in overcoming either negative or positive buoyancy in controlling the depth of such type of vessel.

In this case I use the submarine plane combined with aeroplanes when navigating in Shoal waters and in deep water I use the angular thrust of water-propellers to'project the vessel above the waves, thereby averting the shocks to which the usual so-called surface-hydroplane boats are subjected when going at speed in rou h waters.

The invention inc udes certain structural details whereby I attain great longitudinal strengthcombined with light weight, which peculiar construction also makes the vessel non-sinkable by providing it with a number of water-tight compartments.

In theaccompanying drawings, Fig. l is a plan view of my improved vessel, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the vessel, the hull being shown riding above the waves. Fig.3is abow view ofd the vessel also showing same riding above the waves. Fi 4 is an enlarged viewin partial cross-section s owing the construction of the multiple-cell bottom of the vessel. Fig. 5 is a cross section through one of the hydrolane arms of the vessel on line 5 of Fig. 2. ig. 6 is a similar cross section through said hydroplane arm on line 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a larger type of vessel with the de k removed) in which more engines, and more propellers and hydroplanes are used, and in which the hydroplane arms and control mechanism are protected by housing them in side compartments Fig. 8 is a side view of same. Fig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the bow portion of the vessel shown in Fig. 8.

Referring now to Fig. 1, A-A areairplanes secured above the deck of the vessel as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

B-B are vertical vane stabilizers to hold the vessel level when it is being navigated in -a side wind. Both of these stabilizers are connected ,together by wire ropes running around pulleys 21 and 22 in a customary manner, the 55 forward pulley 21 being secured to a shaft on which the forward vane is mounted and which extends down through the deck where by means of a hand wheel, W, it may be set to hold the vessel to a level keel when under 6o headwa with a side wind.

C is t e air-rudder controlled by the usual yoke and lines leading to the steering wheel 23 located in the forward part of the vessel. P is the air-propeller supported on a framework with a fairing cylinder 24 forward of its hub and a cone shaped extension 25 secured to the rear to reduce air resistance and prevent eddy currents of air. Hollow arms D'with bevel gear housings are disposed at the opposite sides of the hull and secured thereto at their upper ends, the housings 26 being trunnioned in bearings which surround athwartship shafts 27. These athwartship shafts are driven by the engine E through the medium of worms and wheels 28 in any well known manner, the worm wheels being attached to variable speed and reverse gears F which are' operated in the usual manner by the various levers shown in Fig. 1.

The propeller shafts contained within the arms D and their attached propellers 29 may be rotated by bevel gears in the housings 26. l The pairs of hollow arms D act as hydroplanes and are rigidly connected together near their lower ends by cross hydroplanes Gr.

The hydroplane propeller arms D are raised and lowered by means of pinions30 (see Fig. 2 which mesh in rack-segments secured to t e arms D as shown. These pinions are mounted on shafts which extend through bearings attached to the sides of the vessel. Secured to these shafts are drums 31 around which wire ropes are wound and c'onnected with other drums 32 secured to cross shafts 33 and 34. The said cross shafts are rotated in either direction by the hand wheels 35 and 36 and thus raise and lower the hydroplane arms D and submerged planes G-G simultaneously, or, by releaslng the shaft 34 which runs 'through hollow shaft 33,--they tudinally into a series of airtight compartments and materially 'enhance the buoyancy and strength of the hull. lfv desired, lateral throughout the length of the hull to divide or athwartshipplates, not shown, may be arranged between the plates 3i at intervals the same `into a plurality of air-tight cells, thus making an.v exceedingly strongl hull of unsinkable, cellular construction. As will be seen, the flanges of the channel members 38, 39 and 40 are turned toward the bottom of the vessel, thus forming a 'plurality of longitudinal ins f throughout the length of the bottom of the hull between which air may be trapped to aid in the free running of the vessel when'the hull is in contact with the water.

As it is important to have good stream lines especiallj7 af-t of the hydroplane arms to reduce their resistance when being driven through the water, I prefer to make the arms as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which 41 denotes a channel to which side plates 42 and 43 are riveted or welded.

When the vessel is under way, the open channel sides of the arms D are first presented to the water in an inclined manner,

and the water is cut by projecting edges of the arms, the water coming within the edges being diverted and forced downward, the re-l action to which lifts the vessel. The water which passes to either side of the arms then closes in behind them due to hydrostatic pressure. It is vimportant that the stream lines permit the hydrostatic pressure to force the water in back of the moving arm quickly, otherwise there would be a tendency to form a vacuum back of the arm and hold the vessel back, although undercertain inclinations of the arms the maintenance of a partial vacuum increases the lifting efeet, and so at high speeds the stream lines must be fairly fine to avoid excessive resistance. The shape herein provided will give longer and finer stream lines the less the downward inclination of the arms, s o that the greatest speed may be attained with an inclination of arm just suflicient to carry the main hull above the crest of the waves.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a larger type of vessel with multiple engines and propellersl with provision for running them independently or together. I-I is the engine which,

similarly, through the medium of the worm and wheel and athwartship shafts as previously described in relation to Fig. 1, drives the rear set of propellers. Engine I, through I a similar arrangement of shafts, drives the two intermediate Propellers, and engine J, drives thel forward set of propellers. An athwartship shaft K is'fitted with sets of "spiral gears 44, 45, and 46 loosely mounted in that the hydroplane propeller arms arehoused in compartments or well formed' by bulkheads (later described) built on either side of the vessel. In still larger vessels intermediate wells and arms may also obviously be installed if desired. I also carry these wells below the central or main bottom of the hull as shown more clearly in longitudinal section in Fig. 9, in which the cellular construction of the main or inner hull is also shown clearly. This cellular construction iS similar tothat previously described but includes the false bottom member s which provides an air space between'it and the bottom s. and at the same time aids in stiffening and strengthening the hull. 50 designates the outside plates of the vessel, which are separated from the inner side plates 51 by the 'bulkheads (above referred to) as shown at54,

55 and 56, lforming the compartments or wells, which wells at 57 extend up to a suiiielent height to permit the geared segments ofthe hydroplane'arms 59 and 60 pivoted at 58 to extend up su'liiciently high to permit the propeller-arms to be drawn up sothat the crift can be navigated as a displacement vesse The exhaust from the engine-is carried forward through the exhaust pipes 64 and 65 and admitted into these wells'where its only exit 1s. at the bottom of the wells and thus is maintained a cushion of gas on which the vessel travels, thereby cutting down frictionalresistance when the vessel is being run as a displacement craft.

Fixed step hydroplanes 66, 67 and 68 are also attached to the under part of the main hull at intervals, and act as planes to lift the vessel and provide air-pockets between them and the depending sides, as shown particularly inv Fig. 9. A portion of the exhaust is permitted to escape into the air-pockets through small holes' (not shown) leading from the side exhaust chambers, but much of the air comes in under the bow contained in the form of air bubbles in the broken water which located in the pilot house by means of connecting rods and bell cranks which are in dicated in Fig. 7.

72 are stabilizers which consist of inverted channels secured to rocker shafts 73, which may be independentlyoperated in any suitable manner to depress or raise the stabilizing members, to olset side wind pressure.

Changes may be made in the form of'hull and details of mechanism shown and described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims. I claim: 1. Amotor boat comprisingahull,ahydro shaft .supported by said hydroplaneV arm, means for rotating said propeller shaft and means for depressing the propeller end of said hydroplane arm.`

2. A motor boat comprising a hull, hydroplane arms attached to said hull, propeller shafts supported by said hydroplane arms,

means for rotating said propeller shafts, and means for depressing the propeller-endsv of said hydroplane arms.

3. A motor boat comprising Va. hull, an athwartship shaft, a motor for rotating said shaft, longitudinalhydro lane arms carried -by the hull, propeller sha s operatively connected with said athwartship shaft and suported by said hydroplane arms and means or raising and lowering said hydroplane arms.

4. A motor boat com rising a hull, hydroplane arms arranged ongitudinally of the sides of the hull and each attached at one end-to said hull, athwartshi hydroplanes connecting said arms below t e hull of the boat, and means to raise and lower said planes.

5. A motor boat comprising a hull, submergible hydroplane arms pivotally attached to the hull and extending longitudinally thereof and operative to project and support v the hull above the surface of -the water, and

l lsubmergible lateral planes extending-between and connecting said longitudmal hydroplane arms.

l6. A motor boat comprising -a hull, apluc5 rality of submergible side-hydroplane arms I have shown two rudders 7 and 7ll plane arm attached to said hull, a propellerv on said hull and extending below said hull, athwartship submergible hydroplanes' connecting said arms, propeller shafts disposed within said side-hydroplane arms, means for raising and lowering said hydroplane arms, and means to rotate said propeller shafts.

7. A motor boat comprising a hull, side hydroplane arms attached tothe hull and having water cutting lianges carried by and projecting below them and means to raise and lower said arms.

8. A motor boat comprising a hull, side hydroplane arms attached to the hull and having watercutting flanges projecting below them, said hydroplane arms having t eir upper portions formed to constitute fairwaters.

, 9. A motor boat comprising a hull, a plurality of hollow side hydroplane Varms with projecting flanges on their water-contactl sides, propeller shafts housed within said arms, and fairwaters formed at the backs of said arms. l

10. 'A motor boat comprising a hull, a plurality of submergible hydroplane arms, propeller shafts housed within said hydroplane arms, rudders attached to the hydroplane arms, and means for controlling said rudders.

11. A motor boat comprising a hull having longitudinal bulkheads, channel members interposed between same and forming the deck and bottom of the hull and providin l'watertight compartments within the hull, t e channel members forming the bottom having water-cutting side flanges projecting below the bottom of ther h ull.

l2. A motorboat comprisin a hull having a bottom made of channel mem` ers the anges of which extend downward, and having side plates which extend below the edges of the tlanges of the bottom channel members, and xed inclined hydroplanes extendin athwartship between said side plates an placed at intervals between the bow and stern of the boat and forming air traps for the purpose herein describe 13. A motor boat comprising a hull having compartments disposed at its opposite sides, said compartments having open bottoms roviding housing-spaces for depressible hy roplanes, and means for introducing air and 115 exhaust gases from the engines into said compartments to expel the water therefrom for the purpose specled. v

14. A motor boat comprising a hull, submergible hydroplane side arms, a submerg- 120 ible athwartship hydroplane connected to said side arms, propeller shafts housed within said hydroplane arms, a rudder attached to said athwartship hydroplane, means for depressing fand elevating said arms simulta- )il neously, and 'auxiliary stabilizing hydroplanes operable independently of each other.

lIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of Auust A. D. 1927.

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